Toyota 4Runner Intake Manifolds
Every part of a standard combustion engine is vital, but intake manifolds are among the more crucial to the cars operation. Also called inlet manifolds, these components dispense the fuel-air mixture that the carburetor creates, evenly spreading this blend so that the engine reaches optimum efficiency. When youre shopping for a new carburetor for your Toyota 4Runner, whether to replace a worn part or simply to make an upgrade, its vital that you know how the part functions and the various types available on the market. How does an intake manifold benefit a 4Runner engine?The integrated assembly of a standard inlet manifold sits atop the engine, pushing air and gasoline into the pistons. One of the main principles of any fuel system is that combining oxygen and fuel makes the fuel much more efficient, similarly to using bellows on a fireplace or simply waving your arms at a campfire. In the majority of combustion engines, a process of four oscillating pistons, or cylinders, repeatedly descend and rise to pressurize the fuel and create power. The first stroke of these cylinders is called the intake stroke and pulls the fuel mixture through the intake manifold. This works by principles of atmospheric pressure. As the pistons create a low-pressure area while they drive downwards, the oxygenized fuel flows naturally into the motor. Since the integrated assembly takes up such a large amount of space inside the engine, it is often used for mounting other components. These can range from carburetors and fuel injectors to larger throttle assemblies depending on the customers taste.
What are intake manifolds made from?As in many engine components, the more important quality of the material being used for the Toyota 4Runner intake manifold is that it be able to stand up to a great deal of heat. They are often made from cast iron, aluminum, and sometimes plastic blends.
- Cast Iron: An older style of intake manifold, these could add up to forty pounds to the vehicles weight and often prove inferior to newer components in terms of outright power.
- Aluminum: Considered a major improvement over their predecessors, these manifolds were much lighter and could create an even distribution of fuel that drew a substantial amount of power. These are the more common modern manifolds.
- Plastic Composites: These newer blended components are even more lightweight than those that came before, and boast much improved maximum temperatures. The result is that engine overheating becomes much rarer, at the cost of decreased stability.